Memoirs
by Litteya
Summary: "You smile as you come up on a picture of you and Penelope on a mini-golf course. It was a little post-case ritual of yours. You took a trip down memory lane after every case, by going through your old photo albums. Which you had a lot of because Penelope loved taking pictures and she loved scrapbooking even more." Luke-Centric Memories through out Penelope and Luke's relationship.
1. I love you

You smile as you come up on a picture of you and Penelope on a mini-golf course. It was a little post-case ritual of yours. You took a trip down memory lane after every case, by going through your old photo albums. Which you had a lot of because Penelope loved taking pictures and she loved scrapbooking even more.

This particular picture was the first time you ever told her you love her, and much to your surprise she said it back. You remembered that night just like it was yesterday even though it had been years. She was wearing a black dressed that were covered in floral print, and a periwinkle blazer. You remember that specifically because she had scolded you for calling it purple. You scoffed at her and told her she looked beautiful no matter what color she wore, and pulled her into your embrace. Placing your warm lips on top of hers and kissing her feverishly. She stroked your cheek before pulling away and whispering in your ear. "Keep that up and we might not even make it out." Her voice was low and seductive, but somehow you managed to snap out of the haze she always put you in and dragged her to the car.

The car ride was quiet, but not awkward. You two had been together for only three months, but somehow you felt like you had known her for eternity, as cliché as it may sound. You sneaked your hand over to hers and grabbed it, intertwining your fingers `together. You gave it a light squeeze before placing butterfly kisses on her hand and down her wrist without taking your eyes off the road.

* * *

Not long after you arrived at the mini-golf course Penelope starts bragging about how great of a putt she has. You could tell she was teasing so you decided to play along. You rolled your eyes, before setting up the ball. "Loser's go first." You say extending your hand. She rolls her eyes right back and mutter something under her breath before stepping up and taking her first swing. You chuckle shaking your head.

You're on your last hole and you two are tied. It's your move, and you put all your concentration into your swing, but you strike out. Your ear is filled with Penelope's screams of glee, and something in you clicks as you see her smile. Before you even know what, you're doing you look her straight into the eyes and whisper three little words. "I love you." The shock is evident on her face as she says nothing, and you mentally face palm yourself. You go to turn away when she takes your face into her hands and starts kissing you. The smile on your face is evident during the kiss, but it gets even bigger when she pulls away and whispers those same three words. "I love you."

The ride home was silent, but unlike the first one this one was awkward. Your both wondering if the other regrets saying the L word. But neither one of you are brave enough to break the silence so instead Penelope reaches over and grabs your hand. She squeezes it before intertwining your fingers together. Mimicking your exact actions, she places butterfly kisses on your hand and down your wrist and all uneasiness seem to float away. Your hands stay like that for the rest of the drive.


	2. I miss you

You blink back the tears threatening to fall. You know it's okay to cry, that you can be sad, and mourn. However, it had been six years, and you need to stay strong for Naerdy. Even if that means putting your emotions on a back burner.

You chuckle knowing that if Penelope were here she'd make you talk about it. And then she'd hold you, absent-mindedly rubbing circles into your chest, while whispering how much she loved you. Just thinking about her brought a calm over you. Even if you knew the calm wouldn't last.

"Daddy?" A small voice asked from the doorway of the living room.

You specifically asked the sitter to make sure she was asleep, but she was as sneaky as her mother. It wasn't the first time she had stayed up past her bedtime, pretending to be sleep until her you came home. And you knew it wouldn't be last.

"Yea, it's me munchkin. What are you still doing up?" You ask holding your arms out.

"I couldn't sleep." She says with a shrug, before climbing on to your lap.

"Is that so?" You say wrapping your arms around her.

"Yup, is that mom's?" She asks changing the subject and pointing at the photo album.

"Yes, it is, but that's not important. You know you have school tomorrow." You say firmly.

"It's only first grade, besides nothing they teach is any different from what Uncle Spencer taught me, last summer." She say's adding that last bit for good measure and picking up the album.

You chuckle, knowing she's right. After Penelope passed away the whole team had been right there for you. Emily and JJ helped you with the feedings, diapers, and taught you everything you needed to know about newborns. Rossi helped you out financially, even though you told him time after time that you didn't need it. Spencer was like a personal tutor, teaching your daughter everything she would need to know for school. And Tara helped you find a nicer place for you and Naerdy. (Ni-Ye-ddi)

"None of that matter's. You still have to go to school." You say as you watch her fumble through the pages of the album.

"I'll go straight to sleep if you tell me one story about mom." She says looking up at you with pouty lips and pleading eyes.

"Fine, but only one story." You reply giving into her damns. "Which story do you want?"

"How about this one!" She says with glee, pointing to the picture of Penelope and you in a photo booth. You sigh knowing this is going to be a long story, but nonetheless you start from the beginning.


	3. Unexpected

You don't know what possessed you to kiss her. It just happened as cliché as it sounds, and boy did it feel right. Even though it was terribly wrong. In fact, it fell on the top 5 things you should never do list. Never get involved with a colleague, but none of that mattered to you in this moment. You slowly run your tongue against her lips. By now you're practically begging for entrance, and you can feel her opening up, when she suddenly jerks away. You growl at the loss of contact.

For a moment, you are both silent. She's the one who breaks the silence. "Oh god! What-? Why-?" She stutters causing you to chuckle. "I believe that was a kiss and I think the why is pretty obvious." You say teasingly, and you can't help but to be amused at the way she puffs her cheeks out. Her eye's flash through emotions at lightning speed. Surprise, shock, fear, curiosity, irritation, and back to surprise. She's about to say something when the door opens causing you both to fly to opposite sides of the room. "Sorry, I hope I'm not intruding." JJ says cautiously.

You run your hand along the back of your neck and give a noncommittal no. "Well Em wants the reports from the San Diego case before we go home today, and as for you two keep it out of the office." JJ says that last part with a smirk. You feel the heat flood your face, and you know your blushing, but you just shrug her off. You watch as she shakes her head and retreats back out of the office. "Oh god, oh god. She knows, and it's just a matter of time before the rest of the building know, and what about fraternization rules, hm? Did you think about that before you decided to kiss me? I bet you didn't, you jerk!" Penelope screamed at you. You go to say something, anything to calm her down, but she raises her hand to stop you. She takes a deep breathe before speaking. "Just go." Seeing that she is in no state to think rationally you decide to leave.

It's late when your finally packed and ready to go. You're the last one to leave. Usually you get your paperwork finished quickly, but all you've been able to think about was Penelope. You desperately wanted to explain, or at least apologize, but you hadn't been able to see her since this morning. Shaking your head in attempt to clear your thoughts you grab your bag and head toward the elevators. You halt as you see the person in question. For a moment, you're tempted to take the stairs and forget today ever happened. Instead you trudge forward giving her a polite nod as you stand stoically waiting for the elevator. Neither one of you say a word, or even look at each other until the door opens. Then you politely allow her to step in first.

You haven't been in the elevator for long when she starts to speak. "I'm sorry about earlier. I may have overreacted a tad bit." You snort. "A tad bit?" You ask teasingly, hoping that she'll tease you back. You had grown accustomed to your playful banter and desperately hoped you hadn't messed up. "Ok maybe a little more than a tad bit, but the point is that I finally feel like my life is back on track and then you kiss me. I need to know if that was real or if you are playing some sort of game." She says seriously and that overwhelming urge to kiss her came back. This time you made no attempt to fight it. You gently grip her cheek caressing it with your thumb before lowering you lips onto hers. Unlike before you immediately feel her respond. Deepening the kiss nipping at your bottom lip, demanding you to give access. Which you gladly did before pulling away. "Did that feel like a game to you?" You ask huskily. You smile as she shakes her head. "How about you go to dinner with me. Tomorrow? I'll meet you at 8." You ask with a smirk. You watch as she struggles to regain her voice. "Um yea, sure, tomorrow at 8." She says breathily.

You glance back at your watch, even though it's only been 3 seconds since the last time you looked at it. Penelope was almost 30 minutes late, which was unlike her. She was usually punctual, hell she kept the team on schedule most of the time. So, her being late worried you more than you cared to admit. You look down on your phone, checking to see if she texted to cancel, when you felt a presence next to you. "I'm still waiting." You say thinking the waitress is the one who's next to you. "I hope you didn't overbook, handsome." You hear Penelope say. "Nope you have my undivided attention for the next hour then I have to go to my next appointment. "You say taking her in. She's wearing purple, with clashes of grey. It's toned down compared to her usual get ups, but she couldn't look more beautiful. "Sorry I'm late, I got lost. I've always been a little directionally challenged." She says sheepishly. You stand helping her into her seat before replying. "I'm glad you got here alright."

Awkward silence takes over, and your beyond grateful that the waitress showed up when she did. "Hello, what can I get for you today?" She asks. You look over the menu realizing that you have no idea what any of it means. In attempt to save yourself from embarrassment you order the first thing that pops out at you. "I'll have the Pied De Cochon, and a bottle of your best red wine." The waitress nods before looking over to Penelope who had a smirk on her face. "And what would you like mam?" "I would like the Bœuf Bourguignon Végétalien." She says with perfect pronunciation.

"Okay what was that about?" You ask after the waitress is gone. You watch as she holds back a chuckle. "You just ordered pigs feet. Which is not bad, actually their quite delicious." She says with a smile. You mentally face palm yourself. "I'm sorry JJ told me that you spoke French and I thought that maybe you'd like this place." "Do you want to get out of here? "She asks with a smile. You nod before throwing money onto the table and grasping your hand. "I know this isn't what you expected when I asked you out." You say one you reach the parking lot. "No, it is not, but don't worry I have plan." She says with a glint in her eyes. "A plan? Should I be scared?" You ask playfully. "Maybe, but in order for this plan to work you have to be blindfolded." She says taking off her scarf and wrapping it around your eyes.

You can tell you've been driving for a while, but you have no idea where she's taking you. You've asked her multiple time, but each time she's shot you down. Just when you thought you'd be driving forever the car slowed down. Next thing you knew she was coaxing you out the car. You didn't have to walk very far before she let you take the scarf off. You audibly gasped at the sight. You had never seen anything quite as beautiful or than Penelope or course than the scene you were taking in. "How did you find this place?" ask taking in the sound of the waterfall. "After a case Hotch gave us a week off. I spent that week driving, no destination in mind, just driving. When I stopped to sleep, I found this. Now whenever I'm stressed or sad I come here." She says stepping up beside you. "It's stunning, natural, untouched by mankind. I see why you love it so much. It reminds me of you." You say with a goofy grin. "Cornball." She says rolling her eyes. You wrap your arm around her, while taking in the view. You both stay like this for hours, not saying much. For the first time, all night you don't feel anxious, or nervous. You feel right at home.


	4. Feet

"Pig feet?" The curious little girl asked while scrunching her nose up in disgust. "Yes, pig feet." You say before grabbing her feet and tickling them gently. Before you knew it, her laugh filled the room and you find yourself smiling. Somehow her laugh always had this effect on you. From the first time, she giggled at you.

She had been a baby back then, and was Penelope and your first night with her at the house. Your home had been filled with so many people, each one of them excited to finally meet the new bundle of joy. Everyone from the BAU had been there, even Hotch. It wasn't until evening when your last guest finally left. Exhausted from the day and glad to finally be able to take the load off, Penelope and you plopped down on the couch. Penelope curls into your chest, and grabs the remote, surfing the channels until landing on something semi-decent show.

You let out a hearty laugh at something a character said inadvertently startling Penelope. "What! I'm up, I'm up." She all but screams as she startles out of your arms. You let out another laugh, but out the last one which was short and sweet this one his long, and it's not until she punches you in the shoulder that you actually stop laughing. Picking up the remote and turning the TV off you turn to her. "Come on let's get some sleep." "I'm not tired." She says with her lids half closed. You raise your eyebrows at her as if to say "Oh really?". "Okay maybe I'm a little tired, but to be fair I did just give birth, like forty-eight hours ago." She stated matter-of-factly. You throw your hands up in surrender before grabbing her hand and gently rubbing your hand over her thumb. "So, what do you want to do then, Mama?" You ask with a grin. "Ooh, mama, I like the sound of that." She says with a seductive smirk. "Don't tease me." You say half joking. Her smirks falters to a playful pout before she replies. "I want to talk. Who knows when we'll have alone time like this again. So, let's just talk. "And talk you did. You talked about the Naerdy, you talked about your mother, you talked about the wedding date, you talked, and talked for hours.

It wasn't until halfway through a story about your childhood, when you heard soft snoring. Chuckling softly to yourself, you place a kiss on her forehead before picking her up and bringing her to the bedroom. You lay her gently on the bed under the covers before, quickly discarding your clothes and lying next to her. It doesn't take long until you've succumb to a peaceful slumber, but it doesn't last long either. A blaring whale comes from the monitor next you, and for a moment you have half a mind to chuck it at the wall. But you don't, instead peeling yourself from the depths of you bed and heading down the hall where your daughter a wait you.

It's been almost an hour since you first stepped into your daughter's room. Almost an hour since she had started crying, and you were slowly going crazy. You had done everything right. You changed her diaper, fed her, and burped her. Now you were doing the only thing you could think of. Talking to her. "Hi there, I'm your daddy." You say hoping to get some respond from her, but your only met with screaming. Determined you try again. "You've had a very exciting day, huh? You met all your uncles and aunts, and you met your abuela. What me to let you in on a little secret? Every single last one of us would do anything to protect you. We'll protect your little nose, your little fingers, and let's not forget your little toes." Whisper softly to her while pointing to each body part. Slowly her wails begin to fade into soft whimpers. Then her whimpers are replaced by a soft gurgling noise. It took you a while to figure out she was giggling, but when you did your heart swelled with so much joy that you vowed to hear that sound every day for the rest of your life.


End file.
